FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 16, 2026

Contact: Michael Clauw, mclauw@campaignforaccountability.org, 202.780.5750

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, two days after Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the State Bar of California asking it to investigate whether White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia may have violated California law by falsely holding herself out as a lawyer, news broke that Zacharia would be leaving the role.

CfA executive director Michelle Kuppersmith said in response, “Katie Zacharia getting pushed out as White House Press Secretary is completely immaterial to the fact that she consistently, and apparently falsely, held herself out as a lawyer. This is a crime in California, so we continue to urge the State Bar to investigate and impose any appropriate penalties.”

Campaign for Accountability is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog organization that uses research, litigation, and aggressive communications to expose misconduct and malfeasance in public life and hold those who act at the expense of the public good accountable for their actions.